U.S. CENTCOM Military News Briefing

Admiral McConnell and Thomas Kelly detailed the results of the war with Iraq through its fifth day, including 8,100 sorties flown, with 14 American MIAs and 10 American aircraft lost. Discussion centered on the effect weather has had on the assessment of bomb damage and destruction of command and control targets. The 80% success rate which had been quoted was explained as only representing the percentage of sorties launched which reach their targets, and not as quantifying bomb damage. Confirmation was not available about three alleged American POWs, but it was affirmed that combat search and rescue missions for missing MIAs were underway. Williams discussed the possible capture by Iraq of three American POWs, and he explained the regulations of the Geneva Convention relating to the registering, identification, and treatment of prisoners of war. He suggested that Iraq might be tried for war crimes should it not abide by the Geneva Convention. close